TII Demands Seat at WHO Conference

The Tobacco Institute of India (TII) has asked the government to talk with farmers and industry stakeholders before the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Conference of Parties (FCTC COP8) meeting, which will be held in Geneva from October 1-6.TTI also demand ‘stakeholder representatives’ be included in the official Indian delegation to the conference.

TII director, Syed Mahmood Ahmad, said in a statement, “Framing of tobacco control policies at the conference without the involvement of tobacco farmers, whose livelihood is seriously threatened, is unfair and unprincipled with the risk of their genuine concerns being subverted and severely compromised.”

In the statement, he also said that “millions of small and marginal retailers” derive their livelihood from sale of tobacco products in India, and that “policy development without cognizing for the genuine concerns and apprehensions of this stakeholder group will have serious livelihood consequences resulting in huge unemployment and poverty issues.

”The statement concluded saying, “We request the government of India to engage extensively with the industry stakeholders on FCTC articles contained in the COP8 agenda and also include industry stakeholders and representatives from the farming community in the official Indian delegation to the conference.”